Reaffirmation of our Solidarity with Palestinians
16 June 2025
End the genocide. Lift the siege. Open the crossings and let aid in!
No climate justice without human rights.
Upholding the rule of law, international law, and human rights is the basis of (climate) justice. Therefore, we reaffirm that we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and all the people living in Gaza, the West Bank, and other areas that have been directly targeted since 7 October 2023. We call for an end to the ongoing genocide, a lasting ceasefire, and an end to all occupation of the Palestinian Territories. We strongly condemn the efforts to further displace the Palestinian people.
The Israeli attacks, while claiming to target Hamas, have been disproportionate, excessive, and focused on collective punishment rather than the retrieval of hostages, which constitutes a grave violation of international law. There is a historically consistent pattern of systematic violence committed by Israel and directed against the Palestinian people; these acts of violence fall within the constituent acts for genocide as established by Article 6 of the Rome Statute and are characteristic of genocidal intent, i.e. the “intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such”. The UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices characterised Israel’s actions as consistent with genocide in 2024. In addition, the violence committed by Israel, as well as the acts perpetrated in relation to the occupation of the Palestinian territory, have inter alia violated international humanitarian law and human rights law, as stated by the International Court of Justice.
The situation in Gaza continues to worsen by the day. The temporary ceasefire earlier this year was not extended, a new ground campaign by the Israeli government was launched, and more and more Palestinians have fallen victim to this endless genocide. The people in Gaza require basic necessities such as medical aid, food, and water urgently. The international community as a whole is also affected by Israel's lack of respect for the rule of international law. Courts that have set out to prevent genocides from happening are currently facing direct attacks aimed at undermining their important work. This effectively hampers the work of the institutions we all collectively need.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) rendered an advisory opinion relating to the legality of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories in 2024, in which the Court ruled that the occupation, and the subsequent creation of settlements and exploitation of natural resources, are illegal under international law, and that reparations should be paid to the Palestinians for the damage the occupation caused. The Israeli government rejected the advisory opinion and has continued the illegal occupation.
The Court also ordered provisional measures twice in 2024 in the ongoing contentious case brought before the ICJ by South Africa, in which the Court ordered Israel to take all measures to prevent any acts contrary to the 1948 Genocide Convention and in which the Court ordered Israel to ensure basic food supplies arrive without delay to the Palestinian population in Gaza. It is clear that Israel has not complied with the provisional measures, with the situation being more dire than ever.
Finally, another advisory opinion is currently being rendered by the ICJ on Israel’s obligation to ensure and facilitate the humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel did not participate in the oral hearings in April of this year, and instead, its Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told journalists that the UN and UNRWA should be on trial.
All in all, Israel’s contempt for the ICJ and binding international law is proven by its dismissal of the Court’s advisory opinion and provisional measures, an act that hurts the position of both international law and the ICJ.
As an organisation that stands for climate justice, we stand in solidarity with all suffering from oppression, occupation, genocide, and all human rights violations. The ongoing unlawful occupation of the Palestinian Territories by Israel, along with the indiscriminate killings and arbitrary detentions of Palestinian civilians, has been a persistent violation of international law for many decades. We reaffirm our commitment to ending these injustices. That is why we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, people who experience oppression for standing against the Israeli government’s genocidal policy, and victims of other grave human rights violations. The latter also includes the innocent people that have been held hostage by Hamas for more than a year and a half – we join their relatives in the call for a permanent ceasefire to have them return home.
In light of the above and as a member of the Climate Action Network and its regional nodes, we align ourselves with the statements made and repeat the rally calls of so many:
End the genocide and all the indiscriminate attacks on the Palestinian people.
End the illegal occupation of Palestine immediately to comply with both the UN General Assembly (A/ES-10/L.31/Rev.1) and the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion dated July 2024.
Allow full access to humanitarian organizations and facilitate fast and ensure full humanitarian aid to reach all people in Gaza.
Those responsible in Israel and those supporting the regime must be held accountable, including under international criminal law. ICC State Members must respect the issued arrest warrants.
Israel must respect and comply with the rule of law and all rules of public international law, international criminal law, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law.
For all those supporting the illegal acts committed, including through the provision of weapons, to end such support.
Release the civilian hostages taken by Hamas as per UNSC resolutions.
We call upon all individuals, institutions, and nations to stand together and amplify these calls to work towards a future that ensures peace, justice, dignity, and safety for all people, everywhere.
In solidarity,
World’s Youth for Climate Justice
